


The Tattoo

by Strangevisitor7



Series: Watcher!Abby [5]
Category: Highlander: The Series, NCIS
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-03
Updated: 2009-12-03
Packaged: 2017-10-04 03:12:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strangevisitor7/pseuds/Strangevisitor7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every Watcher needs the official tattoo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Abby there's one more thing about being a Watcher which I think you will enjoy." Ducky smiled at her. "You have to get the official Watcher's tattoo."

Abby squealed. "You have a tattoo, Ducky?"

They were sitting on opposite sides of the dining room table in Mallard home. Ducky had just finished giving Abby the basics of what it meant to be a Watcher of Immortals.

Ducky laughed, rolled up his left sleeve and held up his arm. There in ugly green ink was the symbol of their secret society.

Abby stood and moved to his side of the table to get a better look. She took hold of his arm and studied the ancient symbol. "Oh wow this is so cool. But does it have to be green?" She asked as she plopped down into the chair next to Ducky.

"I'm afraid it does. It also has to be on your wrist." He explained. "I realize it is not as flashy as some of your other artwork but it is how we identify each other."

"Oh" Abby said quietly.

"What's wrong, Abigail?"

She looked down at her own wrists, adorned with several thick leather bracelets. "I always wear so much jewelry on my wrists; no one will ever see it."

Ducky reached over to grasp her hand. "That my dear is really the point."

"Couldn't I put it someplace else? I'm thinking on my hip or – ooh - maybe my ankle that would be so much cooler. And color. It really could use more color." She turned Ducky's hand over to trace the circular symbol. Mentally she was redesigning the tattoo so that it would go with the myriad of art work already adorning her body.

"Well, I suppose as long as you could easily show it to another Watcher or Immortal when needed…"

"Yes, of course I would. Please Ducky." She gave him her best pouty smile.

He laughed. "I must confirm the idea with Joseph, but if he agrees I see no reason you can't be creative with the location."

She gave a little squeal of triumph. "And the color. Ask Joe about the color." Abby reminded him as she squeezed his hand as if to seal the promise.

"Am I interrupting, something?" Richie asked as he entered the dining room followed closely by Countessa. It seemed the youngest of the four corgies had decided that she was Richie's personal guard dog.

"I'm getting a tattoo." She said as she jumped up to greet Richie with a hug. She then bent down to scratch Countessa behind the ear. "Taking good care of Richie, are you girl?"

The dog whimpered with pleasure at Abby's ministrations.

"Right, the tattoo. Guess that's not gonna be a problem for you." Richie laughed.

She gave Countessa a final pat and straightening to face Richie. "Wanna come with me?"

"Abby," Ducky admonished. "Please wait until I've had a chance to confirm your request to modify the location and color before you go visiting any tattoo establishments."

"No problem Ducky."

"Good. Then let's see what Joseph has to say, shall we." He rose from the table and went into the other to make the call.

Richie raised an eye brow at Abby, "Where exactly do you want to put this tattoo?"

Abby just giggled and let Richie's mind jump to its own conclusions.


	2. Chapter 2

  
  
  
**Entry tags:** |   
[abby sciuto](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/abby+sciuto), [crossovers100](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/crossovers100), [highlander](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/highlander), [hl/ncis](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/hl/ncis), [my fic](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/my+fic), [ncis](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/ncis), [richie ryan](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/richie+ryan), [watcher!abby](http://strangevisitor7.livejournal.com/tag/watcher%21abby)  
  
---|---  
  
_**The Tattoo - HL/NCIS - (2/2)**_  
**Title**: The Tattoo – Part 2/2 – NCIS/HL  
** Beta**: [](http://idontlikegravy.livejournal.com/profile)[**idontlikegravy**](http://idontlikegravy.livejournal.com/)  
**Prompt** #11: red for [](http://community.livejournal.com/crossovers100/profile)[**crossovers100**](http://community.livejournal.com/crossovers100/).  
**Summary**: Abby insists that Richie get a tattoo too.

 

The Tattoo – Part 2

 

Abby flounced into Richie's cubicle and planted herself onto the corner of his desk; scattering his neat piles and sending a few papers fluttering to the ground. "Ready to go?" she exclaimed.

Richie made a grab for the wayward pieces of paper and missed. "Go where?" He asked as he stood and moved around his desk collecting the aftermath of Abby's entrance.

"Don't tell me you forgot," she pouted.

Richie straightened the papers back into their original piles, sat down at his desk and tried to think of why Abby had invaded his office. "Guess I have. What's up?"

She rolled her eyes. "Tattoo. Remember?"

Richie gulped _ oh yeah_. "Look, Abby I know I promised to go with you…"

"Oh no!" She interrupted. "You're coming and you're getting one too."

"But I'm not a Watcher," he smirked.

"Very funny. You know what I mean. In fact, I designed something for you." She said proudly. Reaching into her pocket, she unfolded a crumpled piece of paper and placed it on the desk in front of him.

Richie studied the design. "A sword? And what's that red stuff on the blade? Is that blood?"

"No, it's not a bloody sword." She laughed and circled the desk. "It's your sword but that's the infinity symbol." She explained pointing to the red line crisscrossing the blade. Get it?"

Richie shook his head. "Uh, it's very colorful?" he offered tentatively.

Abby leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear. "Infinity…Immortality. See it's perfect. Don't ya think?"

Richie was momentarily distracted by the wisp of Abby's breath on his neck and the feel of her pressing against him. When he didn't respond immediately, Abby pushed on his shoulder to get his attention "Richie, don't you like it?"

Shaking off thoughts he should not be having about Abby, he took another look at her sketch. "No…I mean yeah. It's great, Abs," he insisted.

Frustrated, she grabbed the back of his chair and swiveled him around to look at her. She leaned into his personal space and studied his face. "Something's wrong Richie? You hate it don't you."

Richie stared back at her. Lost in her gaze, he felt himself leaning into her. _What the hell, why not?_ he thought, giving into the feeling. "I think it's great," he told her as he began reaching up to bring her the rest of the way in for a kiss when a snarky voice invaded their moment.

"Am I interrupting?"

Flustered, Riche pushed away from Abby and stood up a little too quickly to be convincing in his denial. "Hey Tony. Nope, not interrupting anything at all."

"Hey Tony," Abby said overlapping Richie's greeting. Richie noticed that Abby seemed completely oblivious to what had almost happened. Guess he was being too subtle; not usually a problem for him.

Tony looked from Richie to Abby. "Yeah, right," he quipped. Tony waved off Richie's prepared denial before he could give it voice. "Just wondered if you wanted to grab a beer? McGeek actually decide to grace us with his presence and I figured you wouldn't want to miss out."

"Absolutely, count me in," Richie agreed sensing an opportunity to escape Abby's tattoo plans.

Abby elbowed Richie and the gesture was not lost on Tony. "I'm thinking Abby does not approve?" Tony said with a smirk.

"Sorry, male bonding will have to wait. Richie has other plans." She explained while looking at Richie. Her stance and glare defied him to deny it.

Sighing he realized there was no way out and also that he was having an increasingly difficult time saying no to Abby. "She's right," he said addressing Tony, "I promised to go with her while she got a new tattoo."

"Oooh, where's this one going?" Tony asked as he looked Abby up and down.

"Hey, dirty mind. Stop that," she commanded; a finger pointed authoritatively in his direction. "You don't need to know. It's a surprise."

"But Richie's gonna know. Interesting," he grinned at them.

"It's not like that, Tony," Richie insisted, but could see that Tony didn't believe him.

Abby added. "Richie's gonna get one too! Moral support."

Tony nodded slowly the _yeah right_ expression still firmly planted on his face. "Ok Rich. Whatever you say. See you later," he said and headed toward the elevator.

Richie watched him leave. Tony was never going to believe he and Abby were just friends after this. Richie turned to find Abby giggling uncontrollably.

"He thinks we're together. Isn't that hilarious?"

"Oh yeah, it's a riot," Richie said sourly.

**************************************

"You know, Abs, I'm not even sure I can get a tattoo." Richie said as they entered the tattoo parlor.

"Now, I know you're not scared of needles." She laughed and sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area and indicated that Richie should do the same. "Because I wouldn't have thought that was a problem." She leaned over to whisper in his ear, "You know what with the having died a few dozen times; And besides, you'll heal quickly."

"That doesn't mean it won't hurt," he reminded her. "No I'm just not sure it will work. I mean it could just fade away right as the guy does the injection and that could be awkward to explain."

Abby shook her head. "No worries. I called Joe; and boy was he helpful. He told me about dozens of examples of Immortals who've had tattoos. Apparently your body doesn't view the ink as something to be healed away. Isn't that great news?"

"Terrific," he grimaced. After this was over he and Joe were going to have a little chat about him being 'helpful' to Abby.

Abby stared at him. "Are you saying you don't want one?"

Richie looked at the disappointment growing on Abby's face and he realized that that was something he didn't like to see. Not directed at him anyway. "No Abby, I do. I just …well it's permanent, you know."

Abby squeezed his hand. "But that's why you have to do this. Don't you get it? A thousand years from now you'll still have something to remember me by. It's perfect, my own little bit of immortality."

Richie was taken aback. "Wow, Abs…I never thought of it like that. Still, you know I'd never forget you. Ever." He emphasized the last word returning her hand squeeze.

"You say that but I know you immortals. A few centuries can pass and you'll forget me." She sighed dramatically.

"Stop that," he said. "I would love to have your artwork with me forever."

Abby squealed and leaned across the chairs to hug him.

Richie hugged her back; finally understanding how important it was to her that he did this. "Okay," he said breaking their embrace. "But you're going first."

"Chicken."

"Nope, I just don't want to be distracted while you get your Watcher tattoo. I will have to report its location to Tony you know that."

"Don't worry about that. I always show Tony the tattoos. He insists."

Richie cocked an eyebrow and frowned. "Abby where's this thing going?" He asked suddenly worried that Abby and Tony had something more than a simple friendship between them.

"Right here." She said as she pointed to her wrist. "Joe didn't mind me changing the colors a bit but he was adamant that it had to go in the traditional location."

"Oh" Richie said a little bummed that it wasn't going some place more exotic.

"I know! I'm totally bummed too," she exclaimed picking up on his disappointment but not for the reason she thought. "But I redid the design a bit and Joe approved," she said. Abby pulled some papers from her bag and handed them to Richie.

Richie laughed as he looked at the new Watcher design. "Does Joe know that the middle symbol looks like a bat?"

"Nope. He didn't catch my vampire makeover and you are not going to tell him either." She scolded. "It's my little nod to Immortality. You like it?"

"It's terrific, Abby," Richie replied, quite honestly. He flipped to the second paper and studied the artwork she'd created for him. It was good and he actually liked the concept she'd created of the Immortal sword. Richie had to admit that he found the idea of a piece of Abby being with him for all time very comforting. "You know what," he said. "I'm gonna put this on my shoulder. That way, you'll always have my back."

"Richie! That's perfect."


End file.
